Freezing weather wipes out German flea circus

Freezing weather wipes out German flea circus

April 1st, 2013by Associated Press in Local - Breaking News

An entire troupe of performing fleas has fallen victim to freezing temperatures gripping Germany. Flea circus director Robert Birk says he was shocked to find all of his 300 fleas dead Wednesday morning. The circus immediately scrambled to find a new batch so it could fulfill its engagements at an open-air fair in the town of Mechernich-Kommern in western Germany. An insect expert at a nearby university was able to provide 50 fleas in time for the first show Sunday. A circus organizer said the report was not an early April Fools' joke.

Photo by
Associated Press
/Times Free Press.

BERLIN - An entire troupe of performing fleas has fallen victim to the freezing temperatures currently gripping Germany.

Flea circus director Robert Birk says he was shocked to find all of his 300 fleas dead inside their transport box Wednesday morning.

The circus immediately scrambled to find a new batch so it could fulfill its engagements at an open-air fair in the town of Mechernich-Kommern in western Germany.

Michael Faber, who organizes the fair, told The Associated Press that an insect expert at a nearby university was able to train 50 fleas in time for the first show Sunday.

Faber says "I hope we'll get through this without any more fatalities."

Birk said it was the first time his circus had lost all of its fleas to the cold in one go.